Talking About Yesterday and Last Week (Pretérito Indefinido)
How to Talk About Finished Past Actions in Spanish
Introduction – Teacher Guided
In the previous lesson, you learned how to say:
I have visited Mexico → He visitado México
But what if you want to say:
I visited Mexico last year
I ate tacos yesterday
I studied Spanish last week
You cannot use Pretérito Perfecto anymore.
You need a new tense.
This is called Pretérito Indefinido — the tense Spanish speakers use for completed actions in a finished time.
This lesson will make everything click.
How to Talk About Finished Past Actions in Spanish
Introduction – Teacher Guided
In the previous lesson, you learned how to say:
I have visited Mexico → He visitado México
But what if you want to say:
I visited Mexico last year
I ate tacos yesterday
I studied Spanish last week
You cannot use Pretérito Perfecto anymore.
You need a new tense.
This is called Pretérito Indefinido — the tense Spanish speakers use for completed actions in a finished time.
This lesson will make everything click.
Part 2: Regular Verb Conjugation
🔹 What you learn here:
The endings you’ll use all the time.
-AR verbs (hablar)
| Subject | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | é | hablé |
| tú | aste | hablaste |
| él/ella | ó | habló |
| nosotros | amos | hablamos |
| ellos | aron | hablaron |
-ER / -IR verbs (comer / vivir)
| Subject | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | í | comí / viví |
| tú | iste | comiste |
| él/ella | ió | comió |
| nosotros | imos | comimos |
| ellos | ieron | comieron |
Part 3: First Useful Sentences
Ayer comí tacos.
Yesterday I ate tacos.La semana pasada estudié español.
Last week I studied Spanish.Anoche vi una película.
Last night I watched a movie.
Now you can tell real past stories.
Part 4: Key Irregular Verbs (Very Common)
Some verbs change completely:
| Verb | Yo form |
|---|---|
| ir / ser | fui |
| hacer | hice |
| tener | tuve |
| estar | estuve |
| ver | vi |
| dar | di |
Examples:
Ayer fui al cine. – I went to the movies.
Tuve mucho trabajo. – I had a lot of work.
Part 5: The Big Difference from Article 26
| Situation | Tense | Example |
|---|---|---|
| This week | Perfecto | Esta semana he comido tacos |
| Yesterday | Indefinido | Ayer comí tacos |
🧠 Rule for English speakers:
If you say yesterday / last / ago → use Indefinido.
Part 6: Guided Reading – Mini Story
📖 Ayer fue un buen día
Ayer me desperté temprano.
Desayuné café y pan.
Después fui al centro y compré comida.
Por la noche vi una película.
Part 7: Reading Comprehension (English)
What did the person eat?
Where did they go?
What did they do at night?
Part 8: Common Mistakes English Speakers Make
❌ Ayer he comido tacos
✅ Ayer comí tacos
❌ La semana pasada he estudiado
✅ La semana pasada estudié
Part 9: Conscious Practice
✍️ Complete:
Ayer ___ (comer) pizza.
La semana pasada ___ (ir) al cine.
🗣️ Speak:
Say three things you did yesterday.
Part 10: Why This Lesson Is Critical
After this lesson, you can:
tell past stories
describe what you did
understand Spanish narratives
This is where learners stop sounding like beginners.
Recommended YouTube Video
Video Title:
“How to Talk About Yesterday in Spanish | Pretérito Indefinido Explained”
Show:
difference from Perfecto
common verbs
pronunciation practice
Next Lesson
Article 28: Describing Past Experiences and Trips
(Combining Perfecto + Indefinido naturally)
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